Black box data ownership in North Dakota

One of the concerns regarding new information technologies used in cars is the ownership of the data. This is a particular concern in the case of black boxes, systems that record pre-accident vehicle data, mostly for the benefit of insurance companies. It is good to hear, then, that North Dakota has become the first state to pass legislation giving drivers sole ownership rights in a car's black box:

The legislature overwhelmingly approved the bill, which also aims at requiring auto manufacturers to notify owners of the presence of black boxes in their vehicles. It would require a court order before any of the information recorded by the box can be used in court, and prohibits insurance companies from making access to the box a condition of obtaining coverage.

Technorati tag: privacy